MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

Lately so much has happened to me that I cannot logically explain, that I have turned to my loving Mother-Father God all the time. I speak with Him day and night. He is a wonderful and loving God who has brought me through the most frightening times these past weeks. It feels like life is closing in around me and as if I cannot breathe easily, really cannot breathe easily.

But my loving Father is just that … absolutely loving at all times, night and day, day after day. He never forsakes me. Friends may appear to forsake me, but he stands like a rock, like my own fortress. He is my breath, my heart and entire body. He fills my spirit with gratitude that I am alive.

I treasure every moment spent with him, for that relationship is more precious than the rarest gem, more precious than gold, more precious than anything on or in or above or beyond this universe.

I am so lucky to have such a wonderful heavenly Father, for heaven is within me.

And so it is. Amen.

            GOD LOVES US

God loves us with strength and power which is unknown to man. He loves us as his Beloved and longs to be close to us all the time. He is not a jealous God, but a warm and compassionate, lifelong companion who seeks to shower upon us every good and perfect gift. He thinks of us at every moment of every day. We are, literally, the center of his universe, loved beyond nature and animals and all the other beauty in the world. He created all of that just for us and only for us. The very cosmos exists because we were planned to be the center of it. There is no thought that comes through our minds, whether it is one of fear, anger or longing … that is not also felt by him. If we are sad and lonely, so is he. If we rejoice, so does he.

I am going through a health crisis right now. It is no accident, but the result of a lifetime of living in fear and anger and longing to be loved like I am the center of someone’s universe. No human can fill that need, only God. God wants my total attention, my total love and devotion so that he can bestow upon me all my heart longs for … all it has longed for since the moment I was conceived. Not one of us, “good” or “bad”, is conceived by accident. God longed for us from the center of his being. That is why we are here to live on planet earth. Every good thing is ours as soon as we ask for it, but we block it from happening with our fear … or perhaps with our feelings of unworthiness, anger and negativity.

I attended my great niece’s wedding last night. My best friend, Cindy, came to the wedding with me. It was wonderful having her there. We danced and celebrated and danced and celebrated. Everything was done with perfection, with beautiful attention to each detail. It was a joyful occasion. But I think the thing that touched me most deeply was that my niece’s sister-in-law and my niece’s husband went out of their way to speak with me and to make me feel welcome. That really warmed my heart.

Too often we are like the woman at the well who came for water to quench her thirst. Jesus told her that the only way to quench her thirst was to drink the waters of eternal life, eternal life lived in the presence of the one who created us. God simply wants us SO MUCH. His love is SO BIG, that human love pales in comparison. Nothing else is ever going to give us the satisfaction, the love and the tenderness we long for. God loves us, beyond doubt. He awaits our attention so that he can pour out all love and goodness upon us. We are the center of his universe. That is the way it has always been and the way it will always be until the end of time. We are blessed beyond measure if only we open our eyes to see.

WHEN MY BODY SPEAKS TO ME

It seems to take a crisis in health or circumstances to cause me to pause and look closely at what is going on inside. These past couple of weeks I have faced health challenges which not only frightened me, but also caused me to pause and think more about who I really am, my power, my abilities and the amount of control I do indeed have over my body and my life. I’ve had to slow down and re-establish my connection with the Divine within me. Sitting quietly and patiently in the Silence of Prayer has proven to be far more powerful than any human medicine.

During these days of bodily, spiritual and emotional upheaval, I’ve learned greater perseverance, patience, and letting go and letting God be God in me. Most of my life I have battled with control issues, impatience and anger. I know the roots of these go far back into childhood. They have been embedded in my consciousness and, therefore, within the very cells of my body. What has grown from those “seeds” has been a harvest of fear, doubt and feelings of being powerless and unworthy. If I don’t pay attention, my body reacts … sometimes loudly and painfully. The pain is a “gift”, even if it is an unwelcome one.

If nothing else, illness slowed me down. I had to take precious time apart … sitting quietly, listening to peaceful music, sleeping with peaceful music, reading spiritual material and absorbing the lessons it teaches. And I have the precious gift of a powerful support system of those I love. When I fail to pay attention to what is going on inside, my body reacts … sometimes loudly and painfully. But pain can actually be a “gift” when it makes me reassess my priorities and my activities.

There is nothing more powerful than pain in my gut to grab my attention. Our gut is the center of our bodies, the solar plexus, the place of energy and intuition. We all have moments when we know “in our gut” that something is either right for us or wrong. The gut is not only where we process food. It is where we process our emotions. When negative emotions become “stuck” in our digestive track, food gets stuck as well.

Our gut - our solar plexus - is the place where our subconscious mind connects with our physical body. When we are stressed, the flow of life is blocked. We become “constipated” - not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually. I have been forced to acknowledge my emotions this past couple of weeks because they have been “churning” within me. They are linked to my intuitive self. So, what emotions and truths about myself have I been stuffing instead of acknowledging and allowing to flow freely? Fear, disappointment, anger, unforgiveness, resentment?

Perhaps I’ve been ignoring my inner self and the wisdom it imparts to me. Maybe it is telling me I need to slow down, reassess my priorities, look at my values, gently examine my life and engage in acceptance - “warts and all”. Maybe it was even trying to tell me of my own worth, that I am far more powerful and creative than I believed, that I deserve to pause and rest. I slowed the pace, forgave my shortcomings and perceived flaws. And when I forgive myself and others, I receive the gift of peace to heart, soul, mind and body … a healing peace which allows the power of life to flow within and through me once again.

And, perhaps the greatest lesson of dis-ease is the realization that the present moment is the only moment there is. Living fully in the present in the now, appreciating God's love and gifts to us, is the momentum which carries us forward into a more fulfilling life.

HOLY MOMENTS

In Matthew Kelly’s book titled “HOLY MOMENTS”, he discusses the idea that at any time we have the choice to do something selfless, to perform an act of kindness for another which comes directly as inspiration from God. This means we must be open to hearing what God says to us so we put aside our own needs in service to another. It can be anything as simple as a kind word to the checkout person at the grocery store, doing a favor for a friend, or holding someone in prayer. At the Unity church I attend, we have a “prayer chain” in which we hold one another in the Love, Light and Wisdom of God. All these beloved friends are participating in holy moments.

Ever since I have read Kelly’s book, I have decided to implement holy moments in my life. Yesterday, I went to McDonald’s to purchase a meal, and donated extra money in gift cards for other customers who would follow. Today, I did the same at my favorite Chinese restaurant. I like to think it brought some small joy to the recipients, and it is fun to imagine the look of pleasant surprise on someone’s face.

Likewise, when I was at Aldi this afternoon, I found two beautiful bouquets of roses. On my walk home, I decided I would give them to two friends in my building. They were surprised, and their smiles showed their joy. And it was my joy.  “God loves a cheerful giver”. When we spread warmth and cheer to others, we cannot keep it from ourselves.

Holy moments result in behavior that is a reflection of our state of mind and the Christ Consciousness present within us. For example, when we choose to hold our temper rather than release it on some unsuspecting person, this is the result of a holy moment. We not only hold our temper, but we replace feelings of anger with patient, loving kindness.

When we feel urged to grow beyond our comfort zones, and attempt new things, these are also God inspired holy moments. We stretch ourselves beyond our usual behavior and take a risk and try our wings. Beginning this blog months ago was one of those holy moments for me. I would like what I speak of in this blog to bring out the best in myself and in anyone else reading it … helping us to become a better version of ourselves as we choose to carry out holy moments.

Likewise, when we are faced with difficult decisions, we take them to God in prayer. Perhaps a crisis has arisen. We are fearful, unsure, at a crossroads with no idea what to do. In this instance we turn to Spirit and receive the comfort and inspiration we need to move forward in yet another holy moment.

As Kelly points out in his book, holy moments produce exponential results. They are not simply one moment in time. That moment is multiplied over and over again, like a tidal wave of goodness reverberating throughout the world and permeating the universe. A small change in behavior has a ripple effect, the dynamics of which affect the entire human race.

REFERENCE:

“HOLY MOMENTS” - “A Handbook for the Rest of Your Life”

Author: Matthew Kelly

Published August 2022 Blue Sparrow

Additional Information: Courtesy of Google

THANK YOU GOD

Thank you God for all things great and small

For the day we awaken to, rich with promise

For the love of friends and family

For the food we eat which nourishes our bodies

For the gift of prayer which nourishes our souls

For our prosperity in all matters

For the clothes we wear

For the gifts of imagination and creativity

For the job we have and for the car we drive

For the beauty of nature that surrounds us

The sprinkling of stars across the heavens at night

The moon sparkling on the still surface of a lake

The sun which warms us

The trees that shelter us

The birds that sing to us

For all the creatures that populate the earth

For all of nature, from the highest mountain to the deepest green forest

For all of these amazing gifts we give thanks and send a blessing to all throughout the universe

            WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?

With the world and our country being in the state of upheaval it now is, the question arises, at least in my mind, WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? One of the trustees at my church suggests that we must become politically active when human rights are being threatened. This has not been the norm for Unity, even at the time of WWII and the atrocities being carried out by Hitler. All of the political upheaval that is taking place today is equally disturbing at so many levels. Therefore this person has a valid point. Unity handles everything with prayer, focusing on Divine Order, stating “THERE IS ONLY ONE POWER AND ONE PRESENCE IN THE UNIVERSE AND IN MY LIFE, GOD THE GOOD OMNIPOTENT.” As part of Unity we believe there is no separate power of Evil in the world, only people who choose to act with evil intention. Further we believe that the divine spark of God lives in every being, is everywhere present throughout creation. So no matter how an individual presents him/herself to the world, God is still in that person. I hold these tenets to be TRUTH with a capital “T”. 

Still, I have questions. And, since I am questioning, I ask myself what Jesus would do if he were alive today. He was never political in his actions during his leadership of the apostles. In fact, he shunned all political affiliations, refusing to take a public stance on the atrocities being committed by the Roman government. He led powerfully and effectively by example only … the way he showed up in the world and treated everyone alike: “saint” or “sinner”. He was strong and sure in his beliefs, but he always led with LOVE. He did not simply react, but instead acted from the TRUTH at the center of his being. And I believe that is the way that each of us needs to act as well. But, unfortunately, as strongly as I believe this, there are still plenty of moments when I forget.

Acting as Jesus would act is a challenge which comes much closer to home when we consider our actions relevant to our place in society, in our workplace, in our families or in the world at large. It has a huge impact with regard to those we love … family and friends. Recently, with a family member I love dearly I took a strong stand on something that I believe in. In doing so, I hurt someone I loved. That was definitely not my intention. But had I taken a deep breath and continued to act with thought, rather than simply REACT, my pain and that loved one’s pain could have been spared. This situation is still not totally healed, but I pray my loved one knows I meant no harm and knows I want only the very best. I ask her forgiveness for any and all problems that arose due to my questioning her beliefs and her behaviors.

She has as much right to her perspective and her desires as I do to mine. I know there may be no easy answers to some problems that arise. Still I hope that I do better the next time … that I listen more closely, be more empathic, pay more attention to detail, and attempt to understand her point of view. If she happens to read this anytime soon, I hope she will forgive me. Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, we forget to treat one another with tenderness and compassion. No, we do not have to agree, we have only to disagree with love and respect. I know for certainty that is what Jesus would do.

Namaste my loved one.

                  THE LIGHT OF SPIRIT

When we are filled with the Spirit of God we feel a lightness within that glows outward to encompass all whom we meet and which inspires all that we do. This lightness allows us to rise above challenges, realizing that no problem or worry is here to stay. No problem or worry can stand in the Light of God. When we focus on the Light, we feel lighter physically, spiritually and emotionally. We realize our genuine strength to handle all that enters our lives when we do it with grace, when we approach it with love.

In this lightness of being new ideas spring forth. Creativity flows freely. Each undertaking, each task takes on new meaning. We revel in the small things and feel grateful for each and every pleasant moment that comes our way. And the more we appreciate these small moments, the more they show up in our lives, and they invite the possibility of even greater opportunities and prosperity.

When we are full of the Light of Spirit, we clearly recognize our goals and our dreams. We step into them with confidence, poise and grace, knowing that with God all things are possible, even with faith the size of a mustard seed. Hope thrives in the light. Dreams come to fruition in the light. Relationships flourish in the light.